Stopping Smoking Has Suprising Benefits on Life Expectancy

There is some very good news for smokers: it's never too late to quit. A recent study showed that quitting smoking at any age, regardless of how long you've been smoking, can have dramatic effects on life expectancy.

Researchers at the Center for Global Health Research in Toronto studied 113,752 women and 88,496 men between 25 and 79 years of age. They found that compared to people who never smoked, current smokers had a three times higher risk of dying from any cause and their life expectancy was 10 years shorter.

They also found that people who quit smoking between the ages of 25 and 34 gained back all 10 years of life expectancy they would have lost if they had

Read This Before You Get a Flu Shot

Cold and flu season is upon us and everyone older than 6 months is being encouraged to get a flu shot even though flu shots are not effective in kids under the age of two and last year the flu shot was only 56% effective overall, only 27% effective in adults 65 years and older, and only 9% effective against the worst flu virus (type A H3N2) in seniors.

Even the CDC admits that:

Multivitamins CAN Protect Against Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer

Three recent studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine questioned the benefits of multivitamin supplements and last week I debunked the one about brain function.

This week I take a closer look at the other two and explain why their flawed design led to questionable conclusions about cancer and cardiovascular protection.

Multivitamins ARE Good for Your Brain

More than half of adults in the United States take multivitamin supplements. A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine disputed their brain benefits, but taking a closer look at this poorly designed research sheds some light on its questionable conclusions.

Published December 17, 2013, the study "Long-Term Multivitamin Supplementation and Cognitive Function in Men" looked at brain function in elderly men taking low-potency multivitamins.

Healthy Holiday Gifts

This season, give gifts that inspire good health. Here are my top picks for encouraging your loved ones to lead healthier lives, from reducing exposure to toxins and indulging in good-for-you treats to doing more home-cooking and making exercise easy and fun. You'll even find choices to fit any budget.

Cooking Can Save Your Life

Amidst our busy lives, we do everything possible to spend less time on daily chores like cooking. But really we should be spending more time in the kitchen.

Cooking nourishing meals is one the easiest and most effective ways to keep ourselves and our families in good health. According to a study from the National Institutes of Health, people who cook at home live longer than people who don’t, regardless of their knowledge of nutrition and physical ability to shop for food and prepare meals (Chen et al. 2012).

Researchers found that people who cooked at home at least 5 times per week were almost 50% more likely to be alive 10 years later, but even people who cooked less frequently saw benefits. The more frequently they cooked, the longer they lived.

If you're new to cooking or simply seeking inspiration, consider these cookbooks. They're some of my favorites for winter-time cooking and they also make great gifts.

Top Ten FREE Apps for a Healthy Lifestyle

Smartphone apps can support healthy lifestyle choices, from picking produce and selecting seafood to analyzing exercise routines and finding non-toxic personal products. Best of all, many of them are FREE. If you're not already using them, check out these top ten apps.

The Dirty Dozen
When you can't buy organic, the Environmental Working Group helps you find the least toxic produce. This apps lists the Dirty Dozen Plus most contaminated fruits and vegetables and the Clean Fifteen least contaminated ones. You can also view the full list of all 48 foods tested to see how your favorites measure up.

Dirty Dozen app for Android
Dirty Dozen app for iPhone